Transport vehicle for large enclosed electric induction apparatus

ABSTRACT

A composite transport vehicle comprises a large enclosed electric induction apparatus supported between bell crank end frames. The end frames carried on separate wheel trucks and pivoted to opposite lower ends of the apparatus casing. Tensile stress between the end frame pivots is transferred to the casing base and a transverse end wall rib by vertical bearing brackets therebetween; compressive stress at opposite upper ends of the casing is transferred to the internal magnetic core clamps through internal blocking between core and casing.

1111 3,740,684 1 June 19, 1973 United States Patent 11 1 Niederjohn eta1.

Aronson ct a1.

McKee..................

E S cm .m RI. P T LC u R o D. N u F. m E .l n s C HC 1 EE m vL s TES uRDU R ET PSA m mm mm: TEA m H H 5 W Stanley H. Wilk, Dalton, both ofMass,

Primary Examiner-Thomas J. Kozma [73] Assignee: General Electric Company[22] Filed: May 1, 1972 [21] Appl..No.: 249,106

Attorney-J. Wesley Haubner, Francis X. Doyle and Vale P. Myles ABSTRACTA composite transport vehicle comprises a large enclosed electricinduction apparatus supported between [51] Int. 11011 15/02, l-lOlf27/02 [58] Field of Search 336/65, 90, 92; crank end frames- The endframes carried on p 05 3925 3 7 rate wheel trucks and pivoted toopposite lower ends of p the apparatus casing. Tensile stress betweenthe end m- Cited frame pivots is transferred to the casing base and aUNITED STATES PATENTS transverse end wall rib by vertical bearingbrackets therebetween; compressive stress at opposite upper ends of thecasing is transferred to the internal mag- 336/65 clamps ough internalblockin between 336/92 core nd easin v Our invention relates-to vehiclesfor rail or roadway transport of large enclosed electric inductionapparatus such as power transformers, reactors and the like.

More particularly the invention concerns improved means forincorporating large enclosed electrical apparatus as part of a transportvehicle structure. The following art, which appears to be prior toapplicants invention and may be regarded as relevant, has beenspecifically considered by applicant:

U.S. Pat. 3,242,879 Bronlund U.S. Pat. 3,147,715 Myers U.S. Pat.3,143,082 Austgen U.S. Pat. 3,116,086 Barengoltz U.S. Pat. 3,164,973Aronson us. Pat. 2,341,903 Cholewa U.S. Pat. 3,401,648 Gutridge U.S.Pat. 3,273,516 Trumper et a] U.S. Pat. 3,075,478 Elsner U.S. Pat.3,059,886 Lord It is also previously known to support a large powertransformer for transport between two'longitudinally spaced bell crankcarrying frames which are pivotally fixed to the transformer tank atopposite lower ends thereof and carried upon separate swiveled wheeltrucks, the carrying" frames bearing in compression upon opposite upperends of the transformer tank. Such a dual bell-crank carrying frameassembly is referred to as a Schnabel Car, and in such a' structure thebell crank frames impose severe tension and com-.

pression forces uponthe transformer tank.

l-leretofore in designingtransformer tanks for incorporation intoSchnabl type transport cars it has been the practice to incorporate inthe tank structure special tension bars extending between the bell crankpivots and special compression ribs extending between the longitudinallyspaced upper clamping or compression points of the bell crank frames.Such special strengthelectric power induction apparatus comprising acore and coil assembly within a box-like outer enclosure set upon arigidly reenforced base. The bell crank carrying and clamping framesarepivotally connected to the load enclosure by pivot means mounted inrigid end brackets. These brackets transfer the tensile forces to thetank base directly and to the sidewalls through reenforcing ribs whichextend transversely across the tank end walls near the base. At theupper end wall regions engaged in compression between the bell crankframes we provide back-up support for the tank end walls by utilizingthe core structure of the enclosed induction apparatus. To this end weprovide removable blocking means internally of the tank between the endwalls and upper yoke clamps of the magnitic core.

Our invention will be more fully understood and its objects andadvantages further appreciated by referring now to the followingspecification, taken in conjunction with the attached drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a large enclosed electric powertransformer mounted upon wheeled swivel trucks to constitute a transportvehicle embodying our invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the transformer enclosing tank;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of one lower end portion of thetransformer tank; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view of a dual swiveljoint or truck-pivot illustrated at FIG. 1.

' Referring now tothe drawing, and particularly'to ening bars and ribsadd appreciably to tank cost and are not required after a transformer isinstalled for operation on a fixed foundation.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of our invention to provide atransport vehicle including'a large enclosed electric inductionapparatus wherein the incorporated load is so connected to a pair ofbell crank carrying frames that speciallongitudinal reenforcement of theload enclosure for transport is unnecessary or minimized.

It is another object of our invention to provide, in a transport vehicleincluding spaced apart clamping frames and an intermediate box-like loadenclosure, means for pivotally connecting the frames to the loadenclosure without requiring special longitudinal strengthening of theenclosure in tension or compression.

It is a more specific object of our invention to provide an improvedtransport vehicle for large electric power transformers and the likewherein the transformer tank and core structure are both so incorporatedin the vehicle structure that special tank reenforcement is notrequired.

ln carrying out our invention in one preferred embodiment we utilizebell crank clamping and supporting frames of the Schnabel Car type andincorporate between them as part of an assembled vehicle a large FIG. 1we have illustrated a large enclosed electric power transformer Imounted upon a pair of swiveled wheel trucks or bogies 2 by means of apair of bell.

crank carrying frames 3'pivotally connected to oppo site lower ends ofthe transformer tank. The swiveled bogie trucks 2 are shown as multipleaxle trucks each having a horizontal bolster plate or platform 4 uponwhich a horizontal sidearm of one bell crank frame 3 is pivotallymounted. Each carrying frame 3 is connected to a lower end portion ofthe transformer tank by transverse pivotal means (shown as a singlepivot pin- 5) and has a vertical side arm which bears at its upper endagainst a pair of compression plates 6 on each end wall' of thetransformer tank. Horizontal swiveling movement of each truck 2 withrespect to the carrying frame 3 mounted thereon takes place about one orthe other of two longitudinally spaced apart swivel pins,or

vertical pivots, between the juxtaposed frame 3 and truck platform 4, aswill be more fully described hereinafter.

The transformer 1 comprises a large substantially rectiliner enclosingtank l0'which includes a rigid base plate and longitudinally spacedapart end walls 11. As illustrated at FIG. 2, the tank 10 includes alsosubstantially parallel spaced apart side walls 12 which are inclinedinwardly toward the base at their lower regions 12a.

The power transformer within the enclosing tank 10 is illustrated as alarge three phase power transformer including a magnetizable core madeup of three vertical coil carrying legs 15 magnetically coupled togetherthrough upper and lower horizontal yokes l6 and 1 7 respectively. Thehorizontal core yokes are each clamped between a pair of long sectionalbeams or yoke clamps 18 extending in laterally spaced parallel tank endwalls 11. Each coil carrying leg is surrounded by a toroidal coilassembly which includes primary and secondary windings for one phase ofa three phase circuit. It will of course be understood by those skilledin the art that a three-legged, three phase transformer is shown by wayof illustration and that the invention is equally applicable to largepower transformers of other types as well as to large reactors and thelike.

As illustrated at FIG. 3 the tank base 10a comprises a base platerigidly reenforced on the outer surface by a rigid frame of sectionalbeams comprising side beams 31 and transverse beams 32. The tank endwalls 11 are inset from the extreme longitudinal end of the base 10a andare reenforced by a single transverse sectional rib 33 above andparallel to the tank base 10a. As illustrated, the inclined side wallportions 12a extend upwardly from the base to a point near the bottom ofthe coils 20, and the transverse end wall reenforcing rib 33 is locatedat about the same vertical position.

Large electric power transformers of the type illustrated may have a dryweight of the order of several hundred tons and are long relative totheir height. It is evident that bell crank carrying frames 3, pivotallymounted on the pins 5 and bearing in compression on the tank end wallsat the plates 6, exert extremely high tensile force between oppositelower ends of the tank and high compressive force between opposite upperends of the tank. In prior transport vehicles which utilize bell crankcarrying frames of the type illustrated it has been the practice tostrengthen the tank to resist these forces by providing longitudinalside wall braces additional to those required for side wall rigidity inthe normal operation of the transformer. Long and massive reenforcingribs which are needed only for transport add appreciable expense-to thetank structure. By our' invention we propose to eliminate need for suchspecial longitudinal reenforcement in transport. This we do by referringthetensile force between frames 3 to the rigid ing removable blocks orspacers (FIG. 1) in the space between each end wall and the proximateends of the yoke clamps. The spacers 40, preferably formed of metal orother material strong in compression, are not a part of the operativetransformer structure; optionally they maybe removed or left in positionin normal electrical operation of the transformer after transport hasbeen completed.

For purpose of illustration we have shown the horizontal side arms ofthe bell crank carrying frames 3 resting upon multiple axial wheeledtrucks 2 and pivotally connected thereto for horizontal swiveling actionabout vertical pivots. The vertical pivoting or swivel actionillustrated at FIGS. 1 and 4, while not constituting a part of ourpresent invention, provides between each carrying frame 3 and itsassociated bogie truck 2 21 normal pivot point located substantially atthe longitudinal tank base and to the sidewalls, and transferring the vcompressive or clamping force between the frames 3 to the top yokeclamps.

The manner in which our invention transfers the tensile and compressiveforces between the carrying frames 3 is illustrated at FIGS. 1 and 3. Toresist tensile force between the pivot pin 5 the tank base 10a extendsat each end beyond the end wall 11 and a pair of vertical bearingbrackets 35 are connected between the base and the transverse rib 33 andin parallel spaced apart relation perpendicular to the end wall. In theillustrated embodiment of the invention wherein the lower portions 12aof the tank side walls are tapered inwardly the bearing brackets 35 areset at the outer extremities of the base 100 and thus inset from theparallel side wall portions 12. Each bearing bracket 35 is provided nearits lower end, and thus near the base 10a, with a pivot bearing 36 forreceiving the carrying frame pivot pin 5. It will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that if desired separate and aligned transverse pivotpins may be utilized in the laterally apaced pivot bearings 36.

- To resist the compressive clamping force applied by the carryingframes 3 against the plates 6 at opposite upper ends of the transformertank we utilize the rigid upper yoke clamps 18. These yoke clamps areplaced in compression between the tank end walls by providmidpoint ofthe truck and an alternate longitudinally inset, or reduced," pivotpoint which may optionally necessary on sharp curves to limit lateraloffset at the midpoint of a long vehicle in order to clear lateralobstacles. Such a dual, or selectable, pivoting arrangement betweentruck and carrying frame is illustratedmore particularly at FIG. 4. 1

Referring now to FIG. 4 theflat horizontal truck platform 4 is providedat its longitudinal and transverse midpoint with a bearing recess 41. Aflat bearing plate 42 rests upon the platform 40 and includes a verticalswivel pin 42a extending downwardly into the recess 41 of the truckplatform. The bearing plate 42 extends longitudinally inward (i.e.,toward the vehicle midpoint) from the pivotal connection 41, 41a andincludes on its upper surface a second vertical swivel pin 42bpositioned on the longitudinal axis of the truck 2 and offset inwardlyfrom the pin 42a. The horizontal side arm of the carrying frame 3 restsupon the top of the bearing plate 42 and includes a bearing recess 43into which the swivel pin 42b extends. Thus the bearing plate 42,interposed in flatwise relation between the truck platform 4 andcarrying frame 3, is pivotally connected to the truck platform throughthe swivel pin 42a and to the bearing frame 3 through the swivel pin42b.

The two longitudinally spaced swivel pins provided between each wheeledtruck 2 and its associated carrying frame 3 are arranged to be renderedalternatively operable to permit horizontal swiveling movement betweenthe truck and frame. For this purpose selectable locking means areprovided to prevent swiveling movement between bearing plate 42 and thecarrying frame 3 or, alternatively, between the bearing plate 42 and thetruck platform 4. Such locking means have been indicated schematicallyas pins 50 and 51, respectively, at opposite ends of the plate 42. Whilethese pins 50, 51 are illustrated in the drawing as both in'place, it isto be understood that in operation either one or the other of the pinswill be removed, thereby to permit swiveling movement between the truck2 and the carrying frame 3 about that pivot pin (42a or 42b) whichengages the part not locked to the plate 42. In such pivotal movement itwill be evident that arcuate sliding movement occurs between the bearingplate 42 and that part (i.e., truck 2 or frame 3, as the case may be)from which the locking pin has been removed. It will now be evident thatin this manner either the swivel pin 42a or the swivel pin 42b may beselected as the vertical pivot between each carrying frame 3 and itsassociated bogie truck.

The longitudinally offset selectable truck pivot described above isclaimed in a copending patent application Ser. No. 251,154 filed'May 8,1972 by Stanley H. Wilk and assigned to the same assignee as the presentapplication. (Docket 1 1PTO33 14).

.While we have described a single embodiment of our invention by way ofillustration, many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art,and we therefore wish to have it understood that we intend in theappended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the truespirit and scope of our invention.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

l. A large enclosed electric induction apparatus, a pair oflongitudinally spaced bell crank carrying frames mounted upon separateswiveled wheel trucks, said induction apparatus comprising an elongateenclosing casing having substantially vertical end walls in parallelspaced relation, a rectangular magnetic core including at least twovertical legs extending between horizontal upper and lower yokes, a pairof rigid laterally spaced yo'ke clamps extending along opposite sides ofat least said upper core yoke and into close proximity to said endwalls, a current carrying coil mounted upon at least one said verticalleg and having an outer diameter greater than the lateral spacingbetween said yoke clamps, blocking members interposed between each saidend wall and the proximate ends of said yoke clamps internally of saidcasing, and axially transverse pivotal means fixed to opposite lower endportions of said casing, said bell crank frames being pivotally mountedupon said pivotal means and 'having vertical arms engaging said endwalls in clamping relation externally adjacent said blocking members.

2. A large enclosed induction apparatus, a pair of longitudinally spacedapart bell crank carrying frames mounted upon separate swiveled wheeltrucks, said induction aparatus comprising an elongated enclosing casinghaving substantially vertical end walls in parallel spaced apartrelation and a rigidly reenforced horizontal base extending at each endbeyond said end walls, a transverse reenforcing member extending acrosseach said end wall in a lower region proximate said base, and axiallytransverse pivotal mounting means. connected between said base and saidreenforcing member externally adjacent each said end wall, said bellcrank frames being pivotally mounted upon said pivotal mounting meansand having vertical arms engaging upper regions of said end walls inclamping relation, said pivotal mounting means transferring tensilestress therebetween to said base and said transverse member.

3. An enclosed electric induction apparatus according to claim 2 whereinsaid pivotal mounting means comprises a pair of bearing bracketsextending vertically in parallel spaced relation adjacent each said endwall, each said bearing bracket being connected at one end to said baseand at the other end to said transverse member. 7

4. A large enclosed electric induction apparatus, a pair oflongitudinally spaced apart bell crank carrying frames mounted uponseparate swiveled wheel trucks, said induction apparatus comprising anelongate enclosing casing having substantially vertical end walls inparallel spaced apart relation and a rigidly reenforced horizontal baseextending at each end beyond said end walls, a rectangular magnetic corehaving at least two vertical legs extending between horizontal upper andlower yokes, a pair of rigid laterally spaced yoke clamps extendingalong opposite sides of at least said upper core yoke within said casingand into close proximity to said casing end walls, a current carryingcoil mounted upon at least one said vertical leg and having an outerdiameter greater than the lateral spacing between said yoke clamps,removable blocking members interposed between each said end wall and theproximate ends of said yoke clamps, a transverse reenforcing memberextending across each said end wall in a lower Y and inwardly beneaththe lower end of said current carrying coil and said transversereenforcing member extends across said end walls at approximately theupper limit of said inclined side wall portions.

6. In combination a large electric power transformer including a coreand coil assembly mounted upon a rigid base and an enclosing casingincluding said base and having parallel spaced apart vertical end walls,said core and coil assembly including upper and lower pairs ofhorizontal yoke clamps having opposite ends internally adjacent said endwalls, removable blocking means interposed between said end walls andthe upper pair of said yoke clamps, a pair of bell crank carrying framespivotally mounted upon said casing at opposite lower ends adjacent saidbase, said bell crank frames having vertical arms engaging said endwalls externally adjacent said blocking means and having horizontalarms, and a swiveled bogie truck positioned in supporting relationbetween each said horizontal frame arm.

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein said base extendslongitudinally beyond each said end wall and each said bell crank frameis pivotally mounted upon a pair of bearing brackets fixedto said baseand extending vertically along one said end wall in parallel spacedapart relation.

I I K i

1. A large encLosed electric induction apparatus, a pair oflongitudinally spaced bell crank carrying frames mounted upon separateswiveled wheel trucks, said induction apparatus comprising an elongateenclosing casing having substantially vertical end walls in parallelspaced relation, a rectangular magnetic core including at least twovertical legs extending between horizontal upper and lower yokes, a pairof rigid laterally spaced yoke clamps extending along opposite sides ofat least said upper core yoke and into close proximity to said endwalls, a current carrying coil mounted upon at least one said verticalleg and having an outer diameter greater than the lateral spacingbetween said yoke clamps, blocking members interposed between each saidend wall and the proximate ends of said yoke clamps internally of saidcasing, and axially transverse pivotal means fixed to opposite lower endportions of said casing, said bell crank frames being pivotally mountedupon said pivotal means and having vertical arms engaging said end wallsin clamping relation externally adjacent said blocking members.
 2. Alarge enclosed induction apparatus, a pair of longitudinally spacedapart bell crank carrying frames mounted upon separate swiveled wheeltrucks, said induction aparatus comprising an elongated enclosing casinghaving substantially vertical end walls in parallel spaced apartrelation and a rigidly reenforced horizontal base extending at each endbeyond said end walls, a transverse reenforcing member extending acrosseach said end wall in a lower region proximate said base, and axiallytransverse pivotal mounting means connected between said base and saidreenforcing member externally adjacent each said end wall, said bellcrank frames being pivotally mounted upon said pivotal mounting meansand having vertical arms engaging upper regions of said end walls inclamping relation, said pivotal mounting means transferring tensilestress therebetween to said base and said transverse member.
 3. Anenclosed electric induction apparatus according to claim 2 wherein saidpivotal mounting means comprises a pair of bearing brackets extendingvertically in parallel spaced relation adjacent each said end wall, eachsaid bearing bracket being connected at one end to said base and at theother end to said transverse member.
 4. A large enclosed electricinduction apparatus, a pair of longitudinally spaced apart bell crankcarrying frames mounted upon separate swiveled wheel trucks, saidinduction apparatus comprising an elongate enclosing casing havingsubstantially vertical end walls in parallel spaced apart relation and arigidly reenforced horizontal base extending at each end beyond said endwalls, a rectangular magnetic core having at least two vertical legsextending between horizontal upper and lower yokes, a pair of rigidlaterally spaced yoke clamps extending along opposite sides of at leastsaid upper core yoke within said casing and into close proximity to saidcasing end walls, a current carrying coil mounted upon at least one saidvertical leg and having an outer diameter greater than the lateralspacing between said yoke clamps, removable blocking members interposedbetween each said end wall and the proximate ends of said yoke clamps, atransverse reenforcing member extending across each said end wall in alower region proximate said base, pivotal mounting means connectedbetween said base and said reenforcing member externally adjacent eachsaid end wall, said bell crank frames being pivotally mounted upon saidmounting means and having verlical arms engaging upper regions of saidend walls in clamping relation externally adjacent said removableblocking members, said pivotal mounting means transferring tensilestress therebetween to said base and to said transverse reenforcingmember.
 5. An electric induction apparatus according to claim 4 whereinsaid enclosing casing comprises spaced apart side walls having lowerportions inclined downwardly and inwardly beneath the lower end of saidcUrrent carrying coil and said transverse reenforcing member extendsacross said end walls at approximately the upper limit of said inclinedside wall portions.
 6. In combination a large electric power transformerincluding a core and coil assembly mounted upon a rigid base and anenclosing casing including said base and having parallel spaced apartvertical end walls, said core and coil assembly including upper andlower pairs of horizontal yoke clamps having opposite ends internallyadjacent said end walls, removable blocking means interposed betweensaid end walls and the upper pair of said yoke clamps, a pair of bellcrank carrying frames pivotally mounted upon said casing at oppositelower ends adjacent said base, said bell crank frames having verticalarms engaging said end walls externally adjacent said blocking means andhaving horizontal arms, and a swiveled bogie truck positioned insupporting relation between each said horizontal frame arm.
 7. Thecombination according to claim 6 wherein said base extendslongitudinally beyond each said end wall and each said bell crank frameis pivotally mounted upon a pair of bearing brackets fixed to said baseand extending vertically along one said end wall in parallel spacedapart relation.